| Share this: | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
News From PA House & Senate
|
|
The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week-- Environment & Energy NewsClips-- -- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Applauds Senate Action On Bill To Allocate $500 Million To Fund Local Growing Greener Projects, Establish Clean Streams Fund [PaEN] -- AP: Pennsylvania Eyes $500 Million From Feds For Environmental Restoration, Recreation Programs -- Scranton Times Editorial: Use $500 Million In American Rescue Fund Cash To Fully Fund Growing Greener [PaEN] -- Senate Committees: Hold Oct. 4 Hearing On Failure To Invest In PA’s Natural Gas Infrastructure; Hearing Set After PennEast Announced NJ Part Of Its Project Would Not Go Forward, But PA Part Might [PaEN] -- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Solar Companies Are Eyeing PA Farmland, Legislative Agency Is Looking At Ways Communities Can Prepare -- Senate Committee OKs Bill Expanding C-PACE Clean Energy, Energy Conservation Program [PaEN] -- WPCAMR: Federal Mine Reclamation Fee Expired Sept. 30 - Congress Considers The Future Of Mine Reclamation Program [PaEN] [PA’s #1 Water Pollution Problem - Mine Drainage] -- Appalachian Voices: Congress Fails To Reauthorize Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program; People In Pennsylvania Have Worked For 5 Years So Far To Get Their Members Of Congress And General Assembly To Act On This Critical Issue [PaEN] [PA’s #1 Water Pollution Problem - Mine Drainage] PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week-- Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else-- -- PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week [PaEN]
House/Senate Bills Moving Last Week Senate Allocate $500 Million For Growing Greener: Senate Bill 525 (Gordner-R-Columbia, Comitta--D-Chester) is bipartisan legislation allocating $500 million from the federal American Rescue Plan to fund Growing Greener watershed, farm conservation, mine reclamation and recreation projects. This bill is being promoted by the Growing Greener Coalition and many other groups. The bill was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Read more background here. Fake Solution To Nutrient Pollution: Senate Bill 832 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) to allocate $250 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to establish a Clean Streams Fund for Pennsylvania and establish a fake program to help reduce nutrient pollution was amended and reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Read more background here Gas Royalty Payments: Senate Bill 806 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) further providing for natural gas royalty interest payment transparency was amended and reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. C-PACE Clean Energy Program: Senate Bill 635 (Yudichak-I-Luzerne) which expands the Property-Assessed Clean Energy Program-- C-PACE-- to include multifamily buildings, indoor air improvements and resiliency measures was amended and reported out of the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Read more here. Unnecessary Bonding Of Clean Energy Projects: Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would load up renewable energy projects, energy efficiency products and high-efficiency locomotives with bonds to prevent their development [Read more here] was removed from the Table and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. Clean Vehicle Transportation: Senate Bill 435-- encouraging the development of clean transportation infrastructure to support electric, natural gas and hydrogen vehicles was Tabled. Lyme Disease/Tick Bites: Senate Bill 603 (Brooks-R- Crawford) providing for Lyme Disease and establishing protocols for tick bites in schools was amended and reported out of the Senate Education Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. House Water Quality Permit Exemptions: House Bill 591 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) providing for exemptions for NPDES water quality permits was passed by the House [House Fiscal Note and Summary] and is now in the Senate for action. Stop Public Participation/Rulemaking: Senate Bill 533 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) would prohibit any public participation in state agency rulemaking and policy making processes during a declared state emergency and prohibits agencies from adopting regulations unrelated to the emergency was amended and reported out of the House State Government Committee and Tabled. Read more here. Native Roadside Vegetation: House Bill 763 (B.Miller-R-Lancaster) would require PennDOT to develop a list of native vegetation species that can be used in roadside work that is done throughout the state was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.
Bill Calendars House (October 4): <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar. NEW. House Republican Week Ahead Expected Floor Action Senate (October 18): Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would load up renewable energy projects, energy efficiency products and high-efficiency locomotives with bonds to prevent their development [Read more here]; Senate Bill 525 (Gordner-R-Columbia, Comitta--D-Chester) is bipartisan legislation allocating $500 million from the federal American Rescue Plan to fund Growing Greener watershed, farm conservation, mine reclamation and recreation projects [Read more here]; Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R- Fayette) would impose conflicting and expensive requirements on small water and wastewater systems for no benefit to their customers and if they can’t comply they would come under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission Read more here]; Senate Bill 635 (Yudichak-I-Luzerne) which expands the Property-Assessed Clean Energy Program-- C-PACE-- to include multifamily buildings, indoor air improvements and resiliency measures [Read more here]; Senate Bill 717 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) create a new stand for review of DEP permit actions that narrows the grounds for appeals by citizen groups and companies. Read more here; Senate Bill 718 (Bartolotta-R-Washington) shorten the terms of a judge on the Environmental Hearing Board from six to five years. Read more here; Senate Bill 806 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) further providing for natural gas royalty interest payment transparency; Senate Bill 832 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) to allocate $250 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to establish a Clean Streams Fund for Pennsylvania and establish a fake program to help reduce nutrient pollution [Read more here]; House Bill 1598 (Boback-R-Luzerne) redesignating the PA Emergency Management Agency as primary agency to oversee floodplain management, rather than DCED, and making other changes. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.
Committee Meetings House October 4-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1842 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) making fundamental changes to the definition of water pollution under the state Clean Streams Law effectively making most spills and discharges to rivers and streams no longer pollution; House Bill 598 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) would limit actions to create prescriptive easements to public entities like state agencies and local governments, not private entities. Room 515 Irvis Building. Call of the Chair-- meaning it could be held at any time after the House convenes for voting session Monday. Click Here to watch live. Click Here for more on the agenda. October 4-- House Appropriations Committee meets to consider House Bill 763 (B.Miller-R- Lancaster) would require PennDOT to develop a list of native vegetation species that can be used in roadside work that is done throughout the state. Room 140. Off the Floor. Click Here to watch live. October 6-- House Game & Fisheries And Tourism & Recreational Development Committees informational meeting on the increase in outdoor activities during the pandemic and ways to help maintain this increase. Room 60 East Wing. 9:30 a.m. Click Here to watch live. October 19-- House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Powering Pennsylvania: Training for Today’s Energy Jobs. 420 Tioga West Plaza, Tunkhannock, Wyoming County. 2:00 p.m. <> Click Here for full House Committee Schedule. Senate October 4-- Senate Environmental Resources and Energy and Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committees hold a hearing on the “consumer and economic impacts of failing to invest in Pennsylvania’s natural gas infrastructure." Room 8E-A East Wing. 2:00 p.m. Click Here to watch the hearing live. Click Here for more on the agenda. <> Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule. Bills Pending In Key Committees Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.
Session Schedule Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House-- House October 4, 5, 6, 25, 26, 27 November 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 December 13, 14, 15 Senate October 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 November 15, 16, 17 December 13, 14, 15 |
|
10/4/2021 |
| Go To Preceding Article Go To Next Article |